PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Schiavino, Alessandra
AU  - Rossi, Francesco Paolo
AU  - Paglietti, Maria Giovanna
AU  - Testa, Maria Beatrice Chiarini
AU  - Salerno, Teresa
AU  - Cutrera, Renato
TI  - Pediatric tracheostomy: Indications and complications rate. An experience from a semi-intensive pediatric respiratory unit
DP  - 2011 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - p4574
VI  - 38
IP  - Suppl 55
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p4574.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p4574.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2011 Sep 01; 38
AB  - Tracheostomy in children can be used to provide respiratory support as long-term ventilation/pulmonary toilet, or to bypass proximal airway obstruction. Tracheostomy is burdened by early and late complications which could make difficult hospital and home management.We performed a single centre Survey from September 2008 to September 2010, identifying early and late complications with the aim to assess the most frequent problems related to tracheostomy management in children.We administered to the parents a questionnaire in which the different topics were analyzed (indications to tracheostomy, operational tecnique, occurrence of intraoperative, early postoperative (within 24 - 48 hours) and late (after 48 hours) complications and the home care management).In the 2 years period we evaluated 66 patients (M/F 36/30, mean age 7 years). Indications to tracheostomy were prolonged endotracheal intubation followed by tracheal malacia or stenosis, chronic respiratory failure, central apnoeas and vocal cord paralysis. Patients were affected by genetic or metabolic disorders, cerebral palsy, neuromuscular diseases, congenital heart diseases, tracheal diseases and tumors of the nervous system.In 65% of cases no complications occurred, while in 5% early complications and in 35% late complications occurred. Only 4 patients died during the Survey period, but not due to tracheostomy complication.Tracheostomy allows to manage different severe disease in children. The indications for its use have changed over the past decades. Late-onset complications are the most frequent and their knowledge allows to manage the trachestomized patient from hospital staff and home caregivers.